Department for Education

Teachers: Training

Baroness Garden of Frognal: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to collect evidence to inform their review of theinitial teacher training market; and if so, (1) in what format, (2) from whom, and (3) where that evidence will be published.

Baroness Garden of Frognal: To ask Her Majesty's Government how the timescale for their review ofthe initial teacher training market will allow for evidence from the first round of OFSTED inspections under its new inspection framework to be taken into account.

Baroness Garden of Frognal: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether evidence relating to the deliveryof the core content framework by initial teacher educationproviders will be used to inform their review on the initial teacher training market; and if so, how.

Baroness Berridge: The government is committed to driving up and levelling up education standards so that children and young people in every part of the country acquire the knowledge, skills, and qualifications they need to progress.Central to this is making sure that we have great teachers in every classroom. We are making England the best place in the world to become a great teacher through giving every teacher, particularly those in the most disadvantaged areas, access to world-class training and professional development opportunities throughout their career. Reforms to teacher training and early career support are key to the government’s plans to improve school standards for all.The Review will focus on how the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) sector can provide consistently high-quality training, in line with the Core Content Framework (CCF), in a more efficient and effective market. We are reviewing the available evidence on ITT, which includes published research commissioned by the department, as well as wider evidence from the sector. Department analysts, including social researchers, are feeding into the Review to ensure that the evidence is interpreted accurately and will be used to inform any recommendations. As we did with the CCF and Early Career Framework, the Review is considering international evidence alongside evidence from UK ITT markets.Ofsted inspections for ITT were paused whilst schools and the ITT sector responded to the COVID-19 outbreak. On 26 March, Ofsted confirmed that they would recommence ITT inspection in the summer term 2021, which means a relatively small number of ITT inspections will take place this academic year.The Chair of the review will deliver his recommendations this summer, after which the department will consider whether to accept these and plans for implementation.

Department of Health and Social Care

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the duration of protection from COVID-19 provided by (1) the Oxford/AstraZeneca, and (2) the Pfizer/BioNTech, vaccine; and what estimate they have made of the length of time a person who receives (a) only a first dose, and (b) two doses, of (i) the Oxford/AstraZeneca and (ii) the Pfizer/BoNTech, vaccine is protected from COVID-19.

Lord Bethell: The total length of protection from vaccines against COVID-19 is not yet fully understood. Vaccine developers and manufacturers continue to collect data on the performance of their vaccines. Through their surveillance strategy Public Health England (PHE) continues to assess the effectiveness of vaccines, including duration of protection. A copy of PHE’s COVID-19 vaccine surveillance Strategy is attached.On 26 January the Joint Committee on Vaccine and Immunisation (JCVI) published an online report, Optimising the COVID-19 vaccination programme for maximum short-term impact. The report found that short-term vaccine efficacy from the first dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is calculated at around 90% and from the first dose of the Oxford/ AstraZeneca vaccine is calculated at around 70%, with high protection against severe disease.Given the high level of protection afforded by the first dose, models suggest that initially vaccinating a greater number of people with a single dose will prevent more deaths and hospitalisations than vaccinating a smaller number of people with two doses. The second dose is important to provide longer lasting protection and is expected to be as or more effective when delivered at an interval of 12 weeks from the first dose. The JCVI has based their advice on the assumption that protection from a first dose of either vaccination will wane in the medium term and that a second dose will offer more long term protection.COVID-19 Vaccine Surveillance Strategy (pdf, 716.0KB)

Coronavirus: Fraud

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to stop the distribution of messages that purport to offer people access to a COVID-19 vaccine in an attempt to steal personal and financial information.

Lord Bethell: NHS England and NHS Improvement are working with Google, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to help the public access to accurate National Health Service information and avoid myths and misinformation. This includes ensuring Google provides easy access to verified NHS guidance when someone searches for COVID-19; working to verify or ‘blue tick’ over 800 social media accounts belonging to NHS organisations including hospital trusts and local commissioning groups; and working with Twitter to suspend false accounts posing as trusted institutions.The National Cyber Security Centre is also asking the public to report suspect emails to its Suspicious Email Reporting Service. All emails forwarded to the service are analysed and if they are found to link to malicious content, they will be taken down or blocked, helping prevent future victims of crime. In addition, the Advertising Standards Authority taking action to ban fraudulent adverts.NHS England, the Head of Action Fraud, the National Crime Agency and the National Cyber Security Centre have issued joint advice that the COVID-19 vaccine is only available for free on the NHS and health service staff will never ask for payment for it.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government on what date the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (1) circulated, and (2) discussed, the published Sepsis Occurrence in Acutely Ill Patients (SOAP) study on the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines on cancer patients.

Lord Bethell: The pre-print article containing the published Sepsis Occurrence in Acutely Ill Patients study was circulated to the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation on 15 March 2021 and was discussed at its meeting on 16 March 2021.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Baroness Sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to publish daily data on the number of people vaccinated by (1) the Pfizer/BioNTech, and (2) the Oxford/Astrazeneca, vaccine.

Lord Bethell: The Government has no plans to publish daily data on the number of people vaccinated by the Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine. Daily data on the number of people vaccinated is published in an online only format.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the requirements of the contract they awarded to Wockhardt Ltd, to help in the production of COVID-19 vaccines, are currently being fulfilled.

Lord Bethell: The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is currently being filled and finished at the Wockhardt site.The Government has recently extended Wockhardt’s contract from 18 to 24 months to ensure that we have uninterrupted capability into 2022. Specific details of contract fulfillment are commercially sensitive.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Baroness Deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer byLord Bethell on 12 January (HL Deb, col 596), what data they have used to determine that delaying a second dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine beyond 42 days from the first dose is effective and free of risk; and where, if anywhere, this data has been published.

Lord Bethell: The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) considered data on the efficacy of a single dose of the Pfizer vaccine. It concluded that a single dose of the Pfizer vaccine would remain highly effective in the weeks following administration. The JCVI’s statement Optimising the COVID-19 vaccination programme for maximum short-term impact: Short statement from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is attached.Public Health England publishes a monthly report on vaccine effectiveness. The most recent study, published on 17 March, shows that vaccines provide high protection against COVID-19 infections after a single dose, beyond 56 days of having been vaccinated. A copy of Public Health England vaccine effectiveness report is attached.Statement from the JCVI (pdf, 939.3KB)Public Health England Report (pdf, 732.8KB)

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Baroness Goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to establish regional telephone hotlines for the public to use to ask questions related to COVID-19 vaccines.

Lord Bethell: There are no plans to establish regional telephone hotlines.

Doctors: Conditions of Employment

Lord Balfe: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by the Minister of State for Care on 24 March (HCWS877), what functions are covered by the term "speciality and associate specialist doctors"; which of these functions had vacancies to improve the (1) recruitment, and (2) percentage of doctors in these posts; what are the "contractual changes" that will deliver improvements to NHS services; and what is the expected percentage increase of the cost of the Speciality and Associate Doctors' Contract Agreement from its implementation to the end of its first full year in operation.

Lord Bethell: The term ‘specialty and associate specialist’ refers to doctors employed on a number of different medical contracts. They generally require at least four years full time post-graduate training at least two of which must be in a specialty training programme. This group of staff are employed across all specialties and routinely carry out a range of medical functions appropriate to their level of expertise.We do not collect data on vacancies for doctors by grade. The pay and contract reform agreement delivers a number of changes which will contribute to the improvement of NHS services - for example, reducing the hours paid at enhanced rates will improve flexible service provision and introducing a new senior grade will enable employers to achieve the best skill mix for multi-disciplinary teams. The total cost of the agreement will depend on the number of doctors opting to transfer to the new contracts. In the first year of operation we expect an average cost of 3% per full time equivalent for those who transfer to the new terms and conditions.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Pendry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that elderly recipients of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine do not have to travel excessive distances to receive such a vaccine.

Lord Bethell: In England, more than 98% of the population are currently within 10 miles of a vaccine service. In a small number of highly rural areas, the vaccination centre will be a mobile unit. Local vaccination services can also coordinate and deliver vaccination to people who are unable to attend a vaccination site, including visiting care homes, residential facilities for people with learning disabilities or autism, prisons, the homes of housebound individuals, and to reach vulnerable groups such as those who are experiencing homelessness. In England, the latest data from 2 April shows that a total of 1,791 vaccination sites have now been established.

Food: Sugar

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatsteps they are taking to control the amount of sugar in food.

Lord Bethell: Public Health England (PHE) oversees the voluntary sugar reduction programme on behalf of the Government. The programme challenges retailers, manufacturers and the eating out, takeaway and delivery sector to reduce the amount of sugar in foods that contribute the most to children’s intake by 20% by 2020. PHE supports industry to achieve sugar reduction through a continued programme of engagement and provides regular reports on its progress. PHE will publish the fourth report on industry’s progress on sugar reduction later in 2021 and will provide further expert advice on measures to address excess sugar consumption to the Government so it can consider next steps.